No Mistake
by Deandra
Summary: My version of how Eomer and Lothiriel ended up together, without anyone being the wiser. Prequel of the Elfwine Chronicles series.
1. Default Chapter

**No Mistake**

(July, 3019 III)

**Chapter 1**

"You do not like him, do you?" Faramir's voice was quiet in my ear.

"I do not know him," I replied, not turning to look at my cousin.

He stepped onto the balcony with me. "You do not want to know him, either, do you?"

"His manners are coarse," I defended.

"So are mine, and those of every other soldier. Not to mention his culture is different than ours." He paused and then commented, "It used to be that you were eager to meet people of other cultures and learn of their ways. Yet the King of Rohan you reject outright with no effort being made. Why?"

"You know why," I said coldly, willing myself to hold back the tears that threatened.

"Thiri, you know your father will not force you to marry anyone. He merely wishes to see you make a good match. All he is asking is that you give Eomer a chance."

"It is not so simple as that, and you know it. My father, and no doubt my brothers as well, will throw us together at every opportunity. Everyone will be hanging on our every word spoken to try and spy some hint that we favor one another. It is too much!" I wailed.

Consolingly Faramir wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "My future brother-in-law is a good man, Thiri, and I believe he would make a good husband. But only you can decide if he would make a good husband for _you_. Do not dismiss him without coming to know him. I am sure he does not wish to marry where he does not love any more than you do."

While I very much wanted to believe Faramir's version of things, I could not quite do so. Ever since the War had ended, Father seemed determined to marry me off to some eligible man, and the man most particularly favorable in his eyes was the young king of Rohan. They had formed a close friendship, and Father appeared determined not to rest until I was made queen.

And if it were not bad enough having Father so singleminded, my brothers seemed in complete agreement on the matter. Even my dear Faramir, soon to wed the man's sister, was no less eager to see the match made. He might conceal it better, and not press so hard as my closer family members, but I could see it in his eyes. Nearly the instant we had arrived, Faramir made a point to direct my attention to this Eomer. It was all too irritating. I could appreciate that they wanted my happiness, and thought this would achieve it, but it irked me that none of them seemed to care what my thoughts were on the matter.

But, for the moment, I was forced to put aside my irritation, for we were due at the welcoming feast. It was there that I would be formally introduced to this king. I did not know how, but I was determined to make my sentiments clear on this unwanted matchmaking. I would have to be careful, of course, not to offend so important a man, but I _would_ find a way!

We returned to the hall from the balcony where we stood, and Faramir escorted me toward the hall. Just as we turned the corner at the end, a slight movement caught the corner of my eye, and I glimpsed a tawny-haired man following us at some distance. If I was not mistaken, it was the very king I was desiring to avoid, and for an instant my heart seemed to stop beating. Why was he there? Had he been listening to our conversation? I dared not look too closely at his expression, and draw Faramir's attention there, but as we continued on our way, it occurred to me that if he had heard my words that might well play in my favor. At least he would not approach me with any delusions that I sought his suit.

Because we stopped to speak with friends of Faramir's, Rohan's king made it to the feast hall before us and was already seated. Though Faramir went to sit with Eowyn, the contingent from Rohan was seated on the far side of King Elessar from where my family was placed. At least I would be able to enjoy a peaceable supper. Temporarily, I relaxed, able to delight in the celebrations and the safe return of my family members. But once the meal was concluded and tables pushed back for dancing, I felt the muscles in my neck start to tense once more. Part of me desperately hoped I would find a way to avoid what I knew was coming, but I could not quite convince myself there was any way of accomplishing it.

Sure enough, Father soon had me by the elbow and was steering me toward King Eomer, in the company of my brothers. Perhaps he thought I would attempt to bolt away unless they all circled me to prevent it. It was some consolation that the king was watching our approach and looked no more eager for the encounter than I was.

"Eomer, I would have you meet the rest of my family. My sons you already know, but this is my daughter, Lothiriel."

Rohan's King bowed politely to me as my father added, "Thiri, this is Eomer, King of Rohan."

I dropped into a stiff curtsy, and managed a smile, but said nothing. To be sure, the man was handsome. And few men I had ever met were so tall and well built. I would even allow that he had a charming smile, but I refused to be drawn in by appearances. As King, he no doubt expected me to swoon at his feet and hang on his every word. I would not do it.

To my mortification, as the music began, my father suggested, "Eomer, perhaps you and Lothiriel would like to help get the dancing started." Father was looking expectantly at the man, so what could he do but make the offer?

"I would be quite pleased to dance with your daughter, Prince Imrahil, if she is so inclined."

I couldn't see any way to avoid it without being rude, so I smiled weakly and nodded, "Thank you, my lord." He took my hand and led me toward the dance area. There he slipped a gentle hand on my waist and I raised my hand to meet his. I tried to keep my eyes averted, but it was awkward to do so, and again, though I did not care for the situation, I did not wish to be rude. I frantically searched my brain to dredge up the sort of mundane conversation the circumstances called for, and asked, "And how do you like Minas Tirith, my lord?"

"It is pleasant enough a place, though I do not care for all this stone. I miss the open plains and mountains of my home," he answered. There was a wistful note to his voice as he mentioned home, and I lapsed into silence, unsure what to say next in response to such a declaration.

He added, "I suppose part of what makes me nervous about Minas Tirith is my sister's earnest desire to marry me off to a noblewoman of Gondor. Apparently, people who are in love want everyone else to be in love also."

"And you do not desire love?" I asked, kicking myself for saying such a thing.

Seizing the opportunity, he explained, "I have nothing against love, but I am not overly fond of matchmaking on my behalf. I wish Eowyn could understand that I am far too busy just now to concern myself with such things."

So, he wasn't inclined to be pushed into this any more than I was, but even so, I found myself asking, "And you think you will have more time for it later?" I had no idea why I had asked the question. It just seemed to pop into my head at his comments, so I tried to justify it with an explanation, "I would think the longer you are King, the busier you will be."

Eomer's eyes narrowed slightly at my response – he apparently had not expected the question. Finally he answered with, "You may be right. Perhaps my real objection is that advisors are taking over every part of my life now and I do not wish to let them interfere in that particular part. I do not want a marriage solely for political reasons or a desperate need to produce an heir."

I smiled at his words, my first genuine smile of the evening, "I cannot say that I blame you for that." I hesitated, but something about him was very comfortable so I risked saying too much, "However, I fear, my lord, that your sister, as well as my father, are quite determined. We will have our hands full trying to avoid their matchmaking!"

He grinned at me. Not the polite smile I was used to seeing in royal courts, but the kind that is shared between friends. I think we understood one another, and somewhere in that a conspiracy seemed to be born for us to rebel against outside influence on us. I leaned slightly toward him and whispered, "I will ignore their best efforts if you will, my lord!"

With a nod, he tightened his hold around my waist and continued the dance with more enthusiasm. Perhaps this whole thing wouldn't be so tiresome as I feared. If our families could plot against us, why shouldn't we return the favor. When the dance ended, he bowed and I curtsied and we went our separate ways, to the chagrined looks on our relatives' faces. I knew I would have no trouble finding dancing partners, and even though I sometimes wanted nothing more than to slip out into one of the nearby gardens and spend the rest of the evening in solitude under the stars, I knew I needed to stay visible and occupied. Only in that, could I thwart their attempts to pair me off with Eomer.

Eomer, for his part, tried to stay engaged elsewhere, though a time or two I did catch him watching me. I wondered if he had been upset by what I said. He had appeared to be pleased to find me of the same mind as he was on the matter, but it was possible I had misread his response. I hoped I hadn't made a mistake. His assistance in stonewalling our relatives would make things ever so much easier, and possibly we would be entertained in the process by watching their frustration.

As the evening wore on, I finally felt I had stayed long enough to feign weariness and be excused. I said my goodnights to my family, Eowyn and the King and Queen, before making my way out of the hall. I had lost track of Eomer in the last hour, so I hadn't been dragged over to say goodnight to him, or have someone make some embarrassing suggestion about the two of us.

Once I had gone far enough to think my escape secure, I leaned down and removed my shoes from my aching feet. I had not danced so much in a long time, but I hadn't dared sit any out. The cool stone floor felt good as I made my way back to my room. On impulse, I sidetracked out into one of the gardens I was passing. Now that no one knew where I was, it felt safe to do so, and I found a spot on a bench to gaze at the stars.

Mordor had spread its smoke and darkness over Gondor for too long. It was good to be able to look up and see the star-encrusted night sky. I hadn't traveled a great deal in my life, mostly only between Dol Amroth and Minas Tirith, but I found myself wondering if the stars looked the same in Rohan as they did here. I supposed I would find out as I would be joining the funeral procession for King Theoden in a few days time.

It was both thrilling and frightening to think of going so far from home. Already I had discovered with my own eyes the existence of dwarves and hobbits. And for the first time in my life, I had been in the company of Elves. What new experiences would come to me on the journey and in this strange land to the west?

I was startled out of my reverie by footsteps nearby and let out a gasp of surprise. The steps halted and then a voice said, "My apologies. I did not see you there." It was Eomer. Wonderful – I had been trying to avoid this all night and now we found ourselves in the garden together anyway.

"It is alright, my lord. The night is dark and I was making no effort to be seen," I answered politely.

He shifted nervously, then commented, "It is late. Shouldn't you be going inside soon?"

I let out a laugh, "Perhaps, but I have escaped the evening relatively unscathed and I want to savor my first, hopefully one of many, victory over my meddlesome family. What better a place than in the dark, under the stars?"

I could just see his smile in the moonlight, "Indeed. We did very well at thwarting them, to be sure."

There were another few moments of awkwardness until, on impulse, I invited, "Will you join me for a bit? If you are as tired as I am, your feet would likely welcome the respite."

He hesitated only briefly before nodding and taking a seat beside me. "I know I will find out for myself in a few weeks, but I have just been wondering – do the stars look the same in Rohan as they do here?"

He pondered this, then replied, "Mostly they do, though they are positioned somewhat differently in the sky. But most of the shapes are still recognizable, though their placement isn't the same."

My earlier comment seemed to sink in, and he asked, "You are coming to Rohan?"

"I will accompany my family there for King Theoden's funeral. I hope you will forgive my excitement at the prospect of the journey, despite the somber occasion."

He smiled at that and replied, "My Uncle would not have wanted to dampen such enthusiasm for visiting Rohan, so neither shall I. We will be honored to have you there and do all that we can to see that you enjoy yourself."

"Thank you." We lapsed into silence then, though it was not uncomfortable as might have been expected.

I shifted my position, and in so doing kicked one of my shoes and exposed my bare feet to the moonlight. Eomer looked down and broke into a grin. "I am envious, my lady. Your attire, or lack thereof, seems most inviting, but I fear Kings are not indulged in such frivolous behavior as going barefooted."

I smiled teasingly in return, "Tis a pity, then, that you do not wear skirts, my lord." He gave me a startled, curious look and I explained, "A lady's skirts can hide many things, including bare feet! I am afraid trousers are too revealing for such activities."

"The King of Rohan in skirts? Now that would be a sight to see!" he laughed.

I blushed and added, "But do not tell my father I said so. He would be mortified that I would suggest such a thing – even in jest."

"Your secret is safe with me. And now, at least, when my feet are hot and tired and I would gladly remove my boots but am unable to do so, I may privately distract myself with the image of the King wearing a skirt whilst barefoot!"

I laughed appreciatively at the picture in my mind, and told him, "Ah, but if you ever succumb and do actually wear a skirt for that purpose, beware! What a King does is _always_ considered fashionable, and soon you would find all the men of Rohan in skirts and bare feet!"

Eomer exploded with laughter at my foolishness and I could not help but laugh along with him. However, even though I was enjoying myself, I could not suppress a yawn. It had been a very long day. Eomer noticed and rose, "Perhaps we should go in, before you think of any other changes to my wardrobe." He offered his hand and I took it after collecting my shoes.

We walked in comfortable silence to his door, where he bowed and entered. My own room was only a few doors down, but before I reached it, my Father appeared at my side. I could tell he was angry, and he followed me in and closed the door behind us. "What on earth were you thinking, Lothiriel? Going barefoot in front of the King!"

"Father, it was not my fault! He came upon me unaware, while I had my shoes off in the garden. Once he had noticed my bare feet, it seemed silly to bother putting them on, particularly when he expressed a wish that he could remove his own."

"That is not the point! What will he think of a girl who is so familiar with him after barely making his acquaintance? You are royalty, and I expect you to behave as such. Let me hear no more of something like this taking place. When you are with the King, or anyone else for that matter, I expect you to be appropriately attired. Is that clear?"

"Quite, Father," I answered stiffly, the pleasant mood of the evening evaporating.

He stepped forward and kissed my cheek, "I am sorry to be harsh with you, Thiri, but this is not one of your brothers. You can not be so informal with such a man. It will not reflect well on you, or on our family."

I nodded, still annoyed by the rebuke and bid him goodnight. Slowly I undressed and got into my nightgown, then sat glaring at the floor while I brushed out my hair. Unbidden, an image of Eomer, in one of my dresses, came to mind and I could not hold back a laugh. Despite what my father had said, I could not believe I had materially damaged our reputation with the King.

I climbed into bed, the smile back on my face, and drifted quickly off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**No Mistake**

**Chapter 2**

Despite the late hour of my going to bed, I was up early in the morning. I knew breakfast wouldn't be for awhile, so I took the opportunity to slip to the stables and take my horse, Elrothiel, out for a ride. I knew I couldn't go too far, but the Pelennor Fields were littered with encampments of the Rohirrim, Swan Knights and refugees to Minas Tirith, so I felt sure I would be safe if I stayed close to the tents. I would much have preferred to race to the nearest forest and go exploring, but I did not wish to face my father's ire over breakfast if he discovered my adventure.

Several of my brothers' friends, who were Swan Knights and with whom I was acquainted, waved to me as I passed. The refugees and their situation was too depressing for such a lovely morning, so I indulged my curiosity for a closer look at the men of Rohan. Apparently Eomer's build was not uncommon among his people, for many of the men were tall and broad shouldered as he, though few stood quite so tall. All seemed to have either golden or red hair and it was worn long, much as Eomer wore his. Our own people preferred a much shorter style, though this long hair on men had its appeal.

A voice hailed me and, to my surprise, when I turned and looked, it was Eomer himself. I rode in his direction, pulling to a halt in front of him. "My lord, I did not expect to see you here. I did not think anyone but myself so foolish as to arise this early after a late night of celebration."

He smiled at my words and answered, "A King does not always have a choice about such 'foolishness', as you call it. I had business with my Marshals that needed tending to before breakfast."

As no one was standing near, I leaned down and whispered to him conspiratorially, "Tell everyone you are gone to court the Lady Lothiriel later, and you should be able to sneak in a good long nap. They will see you are not disturbed if they think that is what you are doing!"

He choked back a laugh so as not to draw attention to us and replied, "I will keep your suggestion in mind. I had no idea you would prove so useful to me, my lady!"

I sighed, "I suppose I should be getting back. Father will expect me at breakfast and he will not want me to be dressed in riding clothes in front of Rohan's King, who I am sure would be appalled at such a sight!"

His eyes danced with merriment as he solemnly told me, "I am sure you are correct. The man is a real stickler for such things. I will see you at breakfast, my lady – properly attired."

As I rode back to Minas Tirith, I couldn't help but sigh with relief that Rohan's King had turned out to be so pleasant. He did not wish to court me, and I did not wish to be courted by him, so we were in complete agreement. I had feared my time spent at Minas Tirith and Rohan would be unbearable with my father's efforts so undisguised. But now that we had taken the wind out of our families' marital sails, without them even knowing it, perhaps I could just relax and enjoy these next few weeks.

The morning was growing warmer, so I quickly slipped into a pale blue dress after washing away any traces of my morning outing. I wrestled my mass of curly hair back into a long braid, knowing it would be cooler as the day wore on. Father preferred I leave it loose – he considered it more feminine – but I was more interested in comfort than catching anyone's eye.

Father and my brothers were waiting when I arrived for breakfast, but Eomer was not yet there. Faramir entered with Eowyn just moments after I did. There was some discussion as to what might be keeping Eomer, but I kept silent, having no intention of revealing I had already seen him today. In the midst of their discussion, he put in appearance, apologizing for being late.

I had managed to seat myself between two of my brothers so I would not be placed next to Eomer but, even so, he ended up in the chair opposite me. The servants started bringing in the food and everyone began serving themselves.

Amrothos, my youngest brother, decided to spur conversation and told me, "That is a beautiful dress you are wearing, Thiri. Wouldn't you agree, Eomer?"

Eomer looked up from his plate, his fork halfway to his mouth. Laying it back down, he smiled politely and told me, "Yes. It is lovely. It is a good color on you."

I smiled sweetly across at him and responded, "It is one of my favorites as it has such a full skirt. A lady's skirts can hide many things, my lord."

Eomer quickly lowered his face and his jaw tightened in the effort not to burst out laughing. Finally, he merely commented, "So I have heard."

My father was giving me a daggered look for my foolish conversation with the King, so I tried to look penitent and turned my attention back to my food.

I managed to act more "royally" for the remainder of the meal, to my father's obvious relief. After we were done, the men adjourned to discuss the arrangements for the funeral processional, and I was cornered by Eowyn to go with her to work on her wedding plans.

Eowyn outlined to me what she had in mind for her wedding and it was interesting to note the differences between the cultures of Rohan and Gondor in such matters. Fortunately, as a member of a royal house in Gondor, I had attended many such weddings and thus seen considerable variation. I was able to let her know what was likely to be tolerated and what would be frowned upon. Luckily, most of the things that wouldn't go over well in Gondor were not things she felt too strongly about, and she willingly gave in on those points in favor of keeping the things that mattered most to her.

As the noon hour drew near, Eowyn seemed to get nervous and finally took a deep breath before saying, "I wonder if I might ask a favor of you Lothiriel?"

"Of course, Eowyn."

"I…would you be willing to stand with me for the ceremony? I have no female relatives…or friends, that I may ask."

"You are mistaken," I told her smiling. "You have just asked a female friend. And I would be honored to stand with you."

She gave me a grateful smile, and I reached over to give her a hug. I did not think such things were natural to her though she appeared to want a hug, so I initiated it to save her the awkwardness. She held me tightly as she said softly, "Thank you!"

The men did not reappear at lunch so Eowyn and I dined together, and then I returned to my room for a nap. Despite the short night and my early rising, I was too restless to stay down long. The earlier heat had increased and my room was getting too warm for comfort, so I found a book to read and headed for the gardens.

Even so, once there, I could not focus on my reading, so I strolled the garden simply enjoying the beauty of it. It was times like this that I missed the sea, as I would often spend hours on the beach. This was the largest garden in Minas Tirith so the paths wandered more extensively and there were many secluded spots tucked away in it. It had always been my favorite for that very reason. I could often hide in here for hours without being found, partly because my family never thought to look for me here and I never told them it was a good place to check.

Turning a corner, I was startled to discover Eomer, stretched out under a tree. At first I thought he was asleep, but apparently he heard my footsteps and his eyes blinked open. I smiled in amusement and commented, "And here I was feeling sorry for you, being trapped inside in meetings!"

He sat up with a grin, "Of course not! I took your advice and told them I was off to court Lady Lothiriel. You were right – until now my rest has been undisturbed."

"Then I shall not interrupt. By all means, sleep, my lord."

"But if you leave, you will make me out a liar. Now that you are here, I will not have to pretend having seen you."

I eyed him skeptically, "You did NOT really tell them that, did you?"

He gave me a perplexed look at the question, but was unable to maintain it long and started laughing. "No, but it makes a good story. And I haven't ruled it out for future use if the need truly arises. This time I was able to slip away without drawing that weapon."

I sat down beside him, "Is the trip to Rohan all planned?"

"Mostly. There are a few details yet to be decided, but we will be ready to depart as scheduled." He glanced at me and a questioning look came to his face, "Tell me something – why is it that you do not ride sidesaddle? That seems to be the fashion among the ladies of Gondor, at least those that I have seen."

I shrugged, "Probably because I learned to ride bareback and so once they finally got me to use a saddle, it was impossible to get me to switch to that awkward style. I think it embarrasses my father sometimes, but at least in that he gives in to me."

"I did not think anyone other than the Rohirrim and the Elves rode bareback."

"Maybe it's because I learned to ride on the beach. Salt water does not go well with saddle leather."

He nodded and we lapsed into silence.

After a moment, I asked, "My lord…"

"Please, do not be so formal. Just Eomer will do."

"Just Eomer?" He nodded. "I do not know – that seems too long and unwieldy. May I shorten it to Eomer?"

He grinned and looked down, "You like to play with words."

"Forgive me, I do. I did not mean to make fun of you. But if I am to call you Eomer, you must call me Lothiriel, or Thiri, as my family does. Unless of course our families are around – then I expect you to be stiffly formal so they will feel cheated!"

He laughed, "I am getting rather good at 'stiffly formal'. It seems to be a requirement for kings. But I fear I am no match for you in wordplay."

I sat lost in thought a moment more and then continued with my previous query, "May I ask you something?"

"Certainly." He looked at me curiously.

"What is it like being a king? Knowing that you rule all that you survey?"

He sat pondering the question and then an odd look came to his face, "Lonely. It's very lonely." He stood and moved to lean against a nearby tree, his thoughts far removed from the garden we were in.

"How so?" I asked softly, rising to stand next to him.

Turning to face me, he answered, "When you are King…everything you say and do has greater importance. Your opinion has more weight, your decisions have more impact, and no one wants to risk offending you. Friends are harder to come by because no one feels like they can speak freely. And you discover there are a great many people who suddenly wish to be better acquainted with you so they may feel important by association." He paused and looked down with embarrassment, "I sound as though I am complaining."

"No. To someone else, perhaps, but not to me. In a very tiny way, I think I understand a little of what you mean. My father and brothers do not understand why I have not welcomed the suitors that applied for my hand, but the truth is that none of them see _me_. They are only interested in aligning themselves with the daughter of a prince, and becoming associated with the royal family of Dol Amroth. They court and they woo, but they never seek to know me or understand me in any way. I _do_ understand what it is to be defined by your station in life. At least in that much, I can sympathize."

"It is not _all_ bad, though. Other than my eored, no one much cared what Third Marshal Eomer thought about matters. Now, if something is important to me, I have the power to do something about it. For good or ill, to be sure, but at least there is the potential for doing good. A lot of the time, being king is a two-edged sword. You either get too much privacy, or not enough. People are either overly polite because of your position, or overly rude to show their disdain for it. Everything you say is given great import, whether it deserves it or not, but the worthwhile things you say are listened to, and more closely than they would be if you were a commoner." A sly grin came to his face and he glanced sideways at me, "And the nobles all gladly throw their daughters at you as potential wives, though sometimes that is not such a good thing!"

"Like when they recommend you wear skirts to cover your bare feet?" I asked innocently.

He laughed easily, "Exactly. Noblewomen seem to say the strangest things to me, though perhaps _your_ words have been the strangest I have yet encountered."

"Which words of mine did you find strange, my lord?" I queried, suspecting he was teasing me.

"Primarily the ones that went something like 'I do not want you to court me, my lord'," was his smirking response.

"Funny, I do not recall _ever_ saying that," I remarked.

"Well, as I said, I may have been rephrasing your words, but the meaning was clear...and welcome, I assure you," he admitted. "I was afraid...well, afraid that if I did not court you as everyone expected, you would be offended, but I really did not want that extra burden of responsibility just now. I like things much better this way...as friends." The last word was said quietly, hopefully, questioningly.

I looked at the ground awhile, long enough for him to begin squirming with nervousness, and then brought my eyes up to gaze into his, "I do not think I would make a very good friend to a king, my lord." His face fell somewhat, but I continued, "I am too much in the habit of speaking freely with my friends and saying what I truly think. I doubt I could restrain myself simply because the person was a mere king. Besides, what have I to gain by associating with a king when I am already of royal birth?"

It took a moment, but the words finally registered just about the time I could no longer suppress my laughter. His face filled with relief and he nodded, "I see. Yes, you would truly make a poor friend for a king, but as my friends are in short supply just now, I suppose I will have to make do with you until someone better comes along."

He sat down at the tree's base and leaned back, his eyes closed, with an expression...I suppose I would describe it as tranquil. And suddenly I was glad that perhaps I'd had some part in putting it there. Though our circumstances differed greatly, I felt very sympathetic to all he was facing in his life and the difficulties he was having to overcome. If I had fallen in with our families' efforts at matchmaking, I would have only made things worse for him. Perhaps we really could part as friends when I left Rohan a few weeks from now.

I shivered slightly as I sat there lost in my thoughts, and it finally occurred to me that the sun was almost to the horizon. I quickly jumped up, "Eomer, it must almost be suppertime! We need to get back before they come looking for us."

He scrambled to his feet with a sigh, "And I was just getting comfortable in this dream."

I smiled reassuringly at him, "Ah, but that is the beauty of it. As long as our families are in the dark about our friendship, the dream can continue a little longer. If they catch wind of this, we are sunk. They will never give us a moment's peace in trying to turn it into something more. We must not be caught out so they will suspect nothing."

He nodded agreement, "I see my accomplice has great wisdom. I defer to your superior judgement in these matters. You have not yet led me astray!"

"Do you know how to get back inside on your own?" He nodded and I motioned for him to proceed, "Good, go. I will let you get inside and then follow. The garden is large so even if we both are spotted exiting from it, we can feign ignorance of the other's presence. Go along with whatever I say on the matter, if it comes up." He nodded his understanding, flashed me a gleeful grin and strode purposely back toward the Steward's residence where he was quartered.

After giving him a few moment's head start, I took a trail to lead me to a different exit from the garden and emerged a short time later. As I made for my room, I spotted Eomer coming down the hall with Amrothos. I curtsied as they approached and did my best to be the perfect royal my father wished me to portray. Eomer fought back a grin as he greeted me, "Lady Lothiriel, how nice to see you."

"Where have you been, Thiri? I have been looking for you. If you do not hurry, you will be late for supper."

"I went to read in the garden since it was too warm indoors," I responded.

"Indeed? King Eomer was just in the garden as well," Amrothos commented.

"The garden is quite large, so I am not surprised you did not find me, my lord. I hope your time spent there was as enjoyable as mine."

He nodded and said, "It was, thank you. I fell asleep under a tree."

"If you will excuse me, my lord, I must go change for supper before my father comes looking for me." He nodded and bowed, and I hurried off down the hall, stifling my laughter.

xxxxx

Eomer and I stayed separated most of the remainder of the evening. Various members of our family made attempts to get us together, but each time we deftly dodged and managed to pervert their intentions. We almost avoided each other the entire time, but just as I made known my inclination to head to bed, Eomer came over to say his goodnights and excuse himself as well, unaware of what I had just done. My father wasted no time in seizing the opportunity, "Eomer, if you are headed to your room, perhaps you would be so kind as to see Lothiriel to her door. She is ready to turn in as well."

Eomer hesitated a moment, then nodded and gave a stiff smile, "Of course, my friend. I would be happy to see your daughter safely home." Politely he offered me his arm, and after enough hesitation to let our families know I didn't want to do this, I took it. We walked from the hall, standing rigidly at as great a distance as we could manage from each other until we were lost to their sight. The darker hallway concealed our posture as we relaxed, and Eomer softly said, "You lied."

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did. You told Amrothos we did not see each other in the garden."

"I beg your pardon, my lord, but I said no such thing. I said that _you did not find me_ in the garden - and you did not. I found you. What I said was perfectly truthful, though admittedly incomplete."

He chuckled, "Oh yes, I forgot your gift for using words! I concede defeat - my lady is NOT a liar."

At my door, I dropped my hand from his arm and reached for the latch, but he stayed me with a hand on my elbow. "Lothiriel...thank you. Today has been a good day for me, and I did not expect it to be so when I arose this morning."

I smiled gently at him and said quietly, "That is what friends are for, Eomer." Then I turned and went into my room, closing the door behind me.

I listened to the sound of his footsteps moving away, down the hall, and then when I heard his door close behind him, I stepped to the balcony. He was right. It _had_ been a good day, for me as well. I could only hope we could keep this up and keep our families blind to it.


	3. Chapter 3

**No Mistake**

**Chapter 3**

I did not see much of Eomer the next day, and the day after that the funeral procession departed Minas Tirith for Edoras. There was a protocol to your placement in the procession, and my brothers and I were near the front, but behind the two Kings, the Queen of Gondor and my father. My brothers kept me amused for the early part of the journey, pointing out things of interest along our path. Though they had never been to Rohan before, we were seeing sights that they had seen before elsewhere, but that I had not.

The farther we got from Minas Tirith, the more rugged the country became and I was enjoying its wild beauty. Traveling at the foot of the White Mountains somewhat eased the heat of the summer days. But after a week on the road, the trip was becoming tiresome and I ached to explore the Druadan Forest we were passing. One day, while my brothers were riding with the Swan Knights, I found myself edging off in that direction. Surely a closer look would do no harm as long as I did not lose sight of the company.

My attention was so riveted on the forest that I did not immediately notice the sound of horses' hooves coming in my direction. When I looked up, I saw Eomer riding toward me, flanked at some distance by two Riders of the Mark. At first I could not imagine why he would be coming to join me, and then it dawned on me and I flushed red with embarrassment. As he pulled to a stop in front of me, I ducked my head, "My lord."

He simply sat there for a few moments, waiting me out, until I finally looked up and saw the amused grin on his face. "If my lady wishes to speak with me alone, there are less dangerous, or noticeable, ways of accomplishing it!"

"Tell me the guards did not send you to retrieve me," I said, closing my eyes.

"I fear I cannot do so. They were not quite sure how to proceed and sought my counsel in the matter. It is so much more difficult dealing with an errant princess than someone of less noble birth."

Against my will, I smiled. "Well, it _is_ good to talk to you. I have missed our conversations," I admitted.

"I, too. Our families seem to have given up on us and now we have no one to try and bring us together."

"I doubt that very much. They are just temporarily biding their time. Perhaps they do not feel a funeral march is the proper place for courting."

"Perhaps not, though, to tell you the truth, I think my Uncle might actually find it amusing!"

I returned his smile as he added, "However, if we are to keep them in the dark about our plans, I think we need to get you back to the group – where I trust you will stay, from now on?"

I nodded sheepishly, "I did not mean to stray. But all of this is so new, I just wanted to go exploring. It seemed like it would be safe enough if I kept the group in sight."

The smile slipped from his face, "In truth, there are more dangers than you know lurking about. It is beautiful, yes, and I wish you could explore, but it truly is not safe to do so. I would not see you harmed."

I straightened in my saddle, "Very well. I shall do as the King orders and be a good girl henceforth." He caught the twinkle in my eye, and gave me one last grin before adopting a neutral expression as we turned to ride back toward his escort, and then return to the procession. My father was looking annoyed but said nothing. I knew he would wait until we were alone to impress upon me the inappropriateness of my actions.

Surprisingly, Eomer may have suspected as much, for he turned to me and formally asked, "Lady Lothiriel, I have seen little of you and your brothers on this trip. Would your family care to join me for supper this evening?"

I glanced at Father, who nodded imperceptibly to encourage my positive response. Feigning slight reluctance, I answered, "We would be honored to do so, my lord. Thank you." He nodded and I returned to my usual placement in the cortege.

I was not expecting to see Eowyn pull her horse alongside mine a few moments later. "I hope my brother did not upset you," she told me. "When he is leading a group such as this he can be very picky about everyone's safety. I do not truly think you were in any danger where you were riding."

I smiled at her and replied, "He was most kind about it – but firm. While he may know you are capable of protecting yourself, he does not know the same about me. I am sure it would have been an embarrassment to him for me to get hurt while in his safekeeping."

"Can you not defend yourself…at all?" Eowyn asked in wonder.

"I am passable with a bow; less so with a sword. I am not much threat to anyone other than small children or old women."

She broke out in laughter at that. "Well, then I shall have to teach you. We cannot have you wandering around unprotected."

We rode in silence for a short while and then she asked, "How are you faring on this trip?"

I shrugged. "I do not mind riding, but…well, this incessant walking is very tedious. Especially if I am not allowed to explore along the way. Perhaps I will beg a seat in one of the carriages for awhile and try to take a nap."

I think she might have considered joining me but for Faramir. This journey was affording them much time together and they seemed to find plenty to talk about. It was touching to look in their direction at times and see them holding hands as they rode along. She smiled and said she would see me at dinner, then rode back to join my cousin.

A few minutes later, I had turned my horse over to a servant and was settled in a carriage with three other noblewomen. I suspected most of the nobles making this trip to Rohan were doing so to endear themselves both to their own King, as well as the young King of Rohan. I had learned in my time spent with Eowyn that she had as little use for the lot of them as I did but, like me, she was forced to act pleasant when around them. It wasn't likely with their chatter that I would get a nap in, so I gazed out the window and tried not to listen to them.

To my surprise, they were trying to draw me into the conversation, and I soon discovered why. The topic had turned to the King of Rohan, and since I was the only one in the party who had actually met and spoken with him, they hoped to find out more about him. A spirit of devilry arose in me, and I welcomed the challenge.

"My lady, you have met Eomer King. Tell us what he is like. Is he charming, witty?"

I gave the matter some thought and then told them solemnly, "He can be charming, when it suits him, yes. I have not heard much wit from him in public, though perhaps in private it is so." I could picture Eomer overhearing my comments and laughing loudly, and that egged me on, "The manners of these horsemen seem much more coarse and unrefined than we are used to in Gondor's court. Indeed, the King himself often smells much like his horse."

The three were gaping at me wide-eyed, somewhat appalled by my comments, so I added, "But that has only been my experience with the man. Perhaps he is different with others. Surely he bathes off the scent of horse before he courts a woman..." I let my words trail off as I returned my attention to the landscape outside. Eomer was going to owe me for this – saving him from these silly fortune hunters. Still, if they were determined enough, I was sure my words would not put them off his trail for long. Perhaps I would find an opportunity at dinner to tell him what a good friend I had been to him!

The trio seemed to decide they did not want to hear more of what I had to say on the subject of Rohan's King and asked me nothing more. Gazing out the window, I caught a glimpse of Eomer, riding beside King Elessar. I began to wonder what he _would_ be like if he were courting a woman.

Once again, I had been playing with words. Eomer _was_ charming when it suited him - which seemed to be most of the time, from my perspective. Our public conversations had _not_ lent themselves to wit, but certainly he was witty enough when we were alone. And in truth, he smelled like his horse only when he had just come from riding. The rest of the time he had a wonderful outdoorsy, masculine scent to him that was most appealing. I could not envision him courting any of my carriage companions, but I had little doubt the woman he did decide to court would find nothing wanting in him.

xxxxx

The afternoon droned tediously on. To make matters worse, we stopped for the night later than usual and it was mostly dark by the time the tents had been raised. My father wasted no time in seeking me out, no doubt to make certain I behaved myself at dinner with the King. He arrived at my tent while I was deciding what to wear. Though Eowyn and I could each have had a tent of our own, we had elected to share one. I saw little of her in the tent, however, as she spent most of her time with Faramir or her brother. She was gone when my father put in appearance.

As soon as I let him in, his tirade began, "Lothiriel, what has gotten into you? I suppose I am somewhat to blame for being too indulgent with you while you were growing up, but it is time you realized you are no longer a girl of fourteen. You are a woman of royal birth and nearly one-and-twenty years of age. When do you intend to start acting the part?"

By now I was angry. I did not like being taken to task as if I was an unruly child, and I did not truly think I had done anything so terribly wrong. "You mean when do I intend to act dull and boring, like the rest of the royal court? In truth, Father, I hope never to do so! I have done nothing scandalous! Ill-advised, perhaps, but I have committed no great crime!"

Father rubbed his forehead and tried to restrain himself, "Thiri, you must understand - the daughter of a prince cannot behave in such a frivolous manner. You give no thought to how your actions will be perceived by others. Perhaps they are not scandalous, but they are inappropriate. Indeed, I am amazed that Eomer King will still have anything to do with us after some of the things you have said to him! I insist you conduct yourself properly; tonight at supper and every other time you are in public."

"Very well, Father," I snapped, "if you wish me to bore the King to tears, I shall do my best to accommodate you!"

He threw his arms up in frustration and stormed from the tent, leaving me pacing the room with tears streaming down my face. I did not like arguing with my father, but in this matter, we would never see eye-to-eye.

xxxxx

Not long after my father left, Eowyn hurried in to change for dinner. At first she was too busy chattering about Faramir to notice my mood, and I kept my face averted from her while trying to dry my eyes. As I looked at my dresses, attempting to decide which to wear, Eowyn, thinking to be helpful, commented, "Why not wear that pale blue one? The one Eomer liked you in at breakfast?"

She had meant well, but that was truly the wrong thing to say just then. I stood gasping for air and seeking control. I tried not to let her see the effect of her words on me, but she would have to be blind to not see something was amiss. "Thiri? What is wrong? What did I say?"

I shook my head quickly in an effort to assure her it was not her fault, but found it difficult to speak. Finally I whispered, "It is nothing you did. I had an argument with my father before you came in and I am still upset by it." Whether she entirely believed me or not, she accepted my explanation and sat with an arm around me, trying to offer consolation. After a few minutes, I stiffened my back and rose.

"I must get ready. Father will be even angrier with me if I am late to supper." I moved to the wash bowl and cooled my face with the water, hoping the red would dissipate before I put in appearance in public. Methodically, I pulled on a dress - the pale blue one, in hopes it would lift my spirits - and then combed my hair neatly into a proper and ho-hum bun. Let me look as cheerless as I was expected to behave. Eowyn watched me out of the corner of her eye while dressing herself, but made no comment on my choices of attire and hairstyle. When we were both ready, we exited the tent together and moved toward the much larger tent of the King. Just before we reached it, Eowyn turned me to face her and looked intently into my lifeless eyes, and then pulled me into a hug. I think she couldn't find the words to express her support and so she tried to let her actions demonstrate for her. And I appreciated it very much.

Once inside the tent, Eowyn stayed close to my side rather than drifting off to join Faramir. The most formal situations called for a lady to extend her hand to a gentleman, who then was obliged to kiss it briefly. Whenever possible, I avoided this as I found it annoying to have would-be suitors slobbering on me and trying to hold onto my hand longer than they should. When King Elessar and his wife approached us, however, Eowyn extended her hand and I felt bound to do likewise.

Eomer came to greet us as well, and when he bent to kiss my hand, his eyes looked up and tried to catch mine. He seemed to be trying to tell me something with his glance, but I was too distracted to read it and he released my hand reluctantly. If he knew that the redness of my face was due to anything other than sun or exercise, he did not say so, and I hoped I had hidden the traces of my tears well enough so that no one would make comment at dinner. My brothers could be quite tactless in that regard.

Seating was not assigned and, while I was not paying attention, Eowyn managed to maneuver me so I was sitting between her and her brother. My father was giving me pointed looks; reminders of how he wanted me to behave tonight and I resolutely took my seat.

Throughout the meal, Eowyn made repeated attempts to draw me into a conversation with Eomer by talking to him across me. But aside from the expected polite responses, I refused to do more than the minimum that was expected of me. I found it offensive to perform like a trained animal in order to impress others, most of whom weren't worth knowing, regardless of their titles or station. To be fair, there was no one in my present company that I disliked or wished to offend, but I resented not being allowed to be myself with those I would wish to think of as friends. I did not know King Elessar or his wife very well, though I had met them on several occasions and had a good opinion of them both. Each was friendly and endearing, and they often dispensed with stiff formalities. I did not see why I could not do likewise.

I knew the real issue here - Eomer. I did not think my father was nearly so intent on the impression the King and Queen of Gondor might have of me as he was on what the King of Rohan would think. I wanted to scream at him that the King of Rohan liked me just fine the way I was, but that would require admitting our subterfuge, and then they would all think their matchmaking efforts had paid off, and it would turn our friendship into something it was not. And, frankly, I did not want that friendship tarnished. No, what Eomer and I had was private and secret, and I would do everything in my power to make it remain so. He had opened his heart to me a tiny bit, and I felt honored. In return, he had accepted me as I was, completely and nonjudgementally. I did not want to lose that, and I knew it would be impossible to maintain in the glare of the public eye.

And so I sat stiffly through the meal, and excused myself as soon as I could do so without upsetting my father. Normally, I would have preferred to go for a walk, but I knew the sentrys would not let me wander far and I wanted privacy. So I retreated to my tent, knowing that Eowyn wasn't likely to return for some time. Already she and Faramir had set a pattern of spending every waking moment together, and they made a point of stretching those waking moments as far as possible.

Not bothering to change out of my dress, I lay down on my cot and stared at the top of the tent, lost in my own self pity. I lay there for over an hour and the night had become chill, though I was reluctant to move and get a blanket. While I pondered the matter, there was a knock at the tent post, and I assumed it was my father, there to either apologize or chastize me more for my behavior at dinner.

Resolutely I rose and went to answer, and was astonished to find myself looking into Eomer's face. "May I come in?" he asked.

Caught off guard, I merely nodded and stepped aside. He strode in, coming to a stop near the center tent pole and turning to face me. For a moment we just looked at one another until finally I broke the silence, "Forgive me, but I am not good company tonight, my lord."

He took a step toward me, "The name is Eomer, remember? Are you alright?"

I turned away, "I had an argument with my father and I am out of sorts. Perhaps it would be better if we talked tomorrow. As I said, I am not good company right now."

"I have a confession to make."

I tried to ignore this statement, but I think he knew it would catch my interest. I resisted the urge to ask what it was, so he volunteered, "I overheard your argument with Imrahil. I was coming to see Eowyn when he arrived and I...overheard everything."

I let out a sigh, "Eomer..."

"No, let me finish. I feel as if I am partly to blame for your father's censure. I have encouraged your casual behavior, but he does not know that. I wanted to apologize."

"Eomer," I repeated, shaking my head, "it is not your fault. This is a very old argument. You are merely the current focal point. When I was younger, it was easier to bill and coo and play these court games, as I was expected to do. But as I have gotten older, I have tired of going to such great lengths to impress people I do not like in an effort to win some advantage by so doing. I do not care if they don't want me marrying their sons! I should rather marry a stable hand who accepted me for who I am, than a nobleman for whom I always had to wear a mask."

"It pains me to see you so unhappy," he told me softly. "Is there nothing I can do? If your father knew that I did not mind..."

"No! Don't you see - that will not convince him of what I am saying. Yes, he may allow me to be myself more, once he thinks I have won the heart of a king, but when we do not court and marry, he will just take it to mean you were scared off by my 'unseemly' conduct." I stamped my foot in frustration. "I am not explaining this to you very well. I am sorry. It is just...I do not want them to know about us, even if it might be helpful right now. I fear it would eventually destroy our friendship."

He caught me by the shoulders and turned me to face him, "No matter what happens, I will not let them destroy our friendship. It has come to mean a great deal to me, even in this short space of time. If you want to continue to keep our secret, then I will do so."

I could tell he was waiting for me to look up at him and finally I did, giving him a weak smile. Merriment sprang to his eyes and he whispered, "I like your dress - especially the full skirt!" I could not help myself; I collapsed against his chest in a fit of giggles.

"I am sorry I was so awful at dinner," I apologized. "You should have come and cheered me up before instead of after!"

He laughed and told me, "Well, I will accept your apology, on one condition."

"And what is that?"

"Please take your hair down out of that awful bun! It is most unattractive!"

Pulling the hairpins loose to free the hairstyle, I laughed, "You mock my show of rebellion? I thought it was quite clever!"

I smiled at him, "Thank you for being a good friend." As he returned the smile with a grin of his own, I added, "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you what a good friend I was to _you_ today!"

He narrowed his eyes and took a seat on a chair, "Do I really want to hear this?"

"But of course!" I teased. "Three lovely young noblewomen engaged me in conversation, and since I was the only one of our party to have met you, they wanted me to tell them all about you - and so I gave them my truthful view of what you are like."

He let out a groan, "Allowing _you_ to give anyone your 'truthful' version of _anything_ about me is almost as dangerous as letting Eowyn sing my praises! I shall die unmarried with the two of you 'helping' me!" He rolled his eyes, and then sat forward in his chair, "Just exactly what 'truthful' things did you tell them, if I may ask?"

And so I related my earlier conversation in the carriage, with much further groaning on his part. When I finished he said, "Do me a favor; do not do me any favors! At least not until you ask me if I might be interested in the girl before you send her running into the hills!"

I walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder, "I assure you, if I had thought there was ANY chance you would ever be even slightly interested in any of those three, I would not have said a word other than praise about you."

We were startled just then, by a knock at the tent door. For a moment, I panicked. How would I explain his presence in my tent? Taking a deep breath, I called out, "Yes?"

"Thiri? May I come in?" It was my father. I glanced at Eomer who had risen from his seat.

I shrugged in acceptance of the situation and replied, "Of course, Father."

He was taken aback at the sight of Rohan's king. "Eomer? I did not expect to find you here."

Before Eomer could respond, I offered, "The King kindly noticed I was out of sorts at supper, and was afraid it might have been due to something he had done. I have assured him he is not to blame."

My father nodded in understanding, "No, Eomer, I fear the fault is mine. My daughter and I quarreled before supper. I should have reconciled with her before we ate so our mood would not affect others."

"Lady Lothiriel seems in better spirits now, my friend, so I will leave you two to talk. I am glad I was not the cause of her distress." He bowed and quickly exited the tent, and I steeled myself for what my father might say.

To my surprise, he simply laid a gentle hand on my arm, "Dearest Thiri, I am sorry if I was cross with you. I do mean well. This would be so much easier if your mother were still here. She would calm my temper and correct you in a more gentle manner than I. Forgive me?"

I rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly, "I love you, Father. I know you mean well, even if we do not agree on this. And I know it may not seem like it, but I do try to remain more formal with those who demand it. I have only been 'too casual' with those from whom I got some indication they did not mind, and in fact enjoyed my easy manner."

He nodded, realizing that to discuss it further might lead to another argument. So he kissed me on the forehead and said goodnight. As I changed into my nightgown and hung up the blue dress I had worn to supper, I started to chuckle. Wearing it _had_ lifted my spirits! Well, _after_ supper, anyway!

xxxxx

Four days later, I awoke before dawn with my stomach churning. I barely grabbed an empty water bucket before my stomach purged itself. The sound woke Eowyn, who hurried to my side, pulling my hair back out of the way. She wished to send immediately for the healer who accompanied our party, but I convinced her to wait at least until dawn, in hopes I would be better by then. But it was not so. Though the purging finally ceased, I ached all over and was generally miserable.

I heard Eowyn leave the tent and she returned a short time later with the healer. I was given an herbal drink to settle my stomach but little could be done other than wait out the illness. After the healer departed, Eowyn hurriedly went in search of her brother to make my condition known. When next I opened my eyes, Eomer, the King and Queen of Gondor, my father, Eowyn and Faramir were all standing over me. I groaned and shut my eyes again, missing the twitch of amusement around Eomer's mouth.

King Elessar knelt beside me and quietly asked, "My lady, you are unwell?"

I nodded, but told him, "The healer says we must wait it out. Do not be alarmed. It will pass."

Eomer spoke then, "Perhaps we should remain encamped here, then." The King and my father were agreeing with him, but I spoke up.

"My lords, I thank you for your concern, but do not let my illness delay us. If a carriage is made available that I may lie down in, I will be able to travel."

I saw the concern in Eomer's eyes and knew he was reluctant to go along with this, but King Elessar offered, "My carriage is the largest, and Arwen and I have used it little on this journey. Lothiriel may stay there while we travel and the healer can ride with her, if necessary."

My father gratefully accepted on my behalf, and so Eomer went along with the decision. "Very well, then. We will depart as scheduled."

The usual activities began in breakfasting and readying the camp for our exodus. I felt guilty lying idle while everyone else worked around me, but felt too ill to even attempt arguing. A servant packed my belongings while Eowyn was at breakfast. She returned awhile later with her brother in tow. She grabbed a few things she thought I might need and then directed her brother, "Carry Lothiriel to the carriage, Eomer."

My eyes flew open and Eomer exclaimed, "Eowyn!"

"What? Do not be foolish. You are here and able bodied. Surely she is not too much for you to carry!" Eomer decided not to argue with the look of determination on his sister's face and turned to me.

"With your permission, my lady?" he asked, and I nodded in response. He rolled his eyes at me as he quickly scooped me up in my blankets and followed Eowyn from the tent. We got a few curious looks as we made our way to the King's carriage, and I kept my face firmly averted lest I break out laughing at the absurdity of it all.

My father was nearby when we approached the carriage and looked mortified, but seemed appeased when Eowyn opened the carriage door and directed her brother, "Lay her inside - and _gently_, Eomer!" As it was clear this was Eowyn's idea, I hoped that would spare me my father's wrath.

As he lay me down on the carriage seat, Eomer gave me a wink. "My lady, may I stop by later to see how you are faring?"

I stifled a laugh, and responded, "I would welcome it, my lord." With a grin, he left and Eowyn deposited my things on the other seat. Then I was left alone until camp was broken and we started out.

I slept quite a bit and had no more bouts of nausea, for which I was grateful. Periodically throughout the journey, I received visits from my father, brothers, Faramir, Eowyn and Queen Arwen. Not until late in the afternoon did Eomer reappear.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better, but not well yet." He noticed me shading my face from the sun coming through the window and reached over to release the window curtains.

"Is that better?"

"Much." I lay there with my eyes closed until I heard him chuckle.

Opening my eyes, I gave him a questioning look.

"I told you there were other, less dangerous ways of being able to speak with me in private, and while this does qualify as less dangerous, I am not certain it could be considered less noticeable. Not to mention, you have put so much effort into it that now you do not seem inclined to talk!"

I smiled ruefully, "Then I shall have to plan better next time. Perhaps this was ill-conceived!"

"On the other hand, you do get a carriage all to yourself, so you do not need to entertain the other occupants with tales of that uncouth King of Rohan," he commented slyly.

I was unable to stifle a laugh. "But, my lord, I rather enjoyed _that_!"

"I do not doubt it for a minute!" He paused, then said, "Be well. I had best get back before this looks suspicious." Giving my hand a squeeze, he exited the carriage and I was left alone but smiling. If I had to be ill, his visit had certainly made it less onerous to bear.

xxxxx

My father made sure that I was removed from the carriage by Faramir, before Eowyn could commandeer her brother again. After supper, I was again treated to a stream of visitors, but this time Eomer came in company with others and we were not able to speak privately. By the next day, I was largely recovered.

And so our trip to Edoras continued. Now that we were deep into Rohan, I could see the plains and mountains that Eomer had indicated he missed. They were, indeed, wonderful to behold, and I fell in love with the place. To be fair, I think I have fallen in love with every place I have visited, since I am such an unseasoned traveller, but Rohan was indeed different, and well worth appreciating.

When we were some two or three days out of Edoras, we were met with riders coming from that city. Eomer's Doorward, Gamling, had come with an escort to discuss some matters with the King. Eowyn told me later that they were having difficulty finding housing for all the visitors coming for Theoden's funeral. She had offered to share her room with me, which prompted Faramir to offer sharing with one of my brothers, and my other two brothers could share as well. That freed up a little more space.

When King Elessar heard that a suite of rooms had been prepared for him and his wife, he declined such extravagance. He indicated he and the Queen would be fine in a single room and the others could be made available to hold other guests. Quietly, Eowyn explained they had decided to put the King and Queen in Theoden's room, as it was the largest, but she confessed she thought Eomer just reluctant to claim it for himself as yet.

Gamling departed the next morning to return and continue his preparations for our arrival. His presence had sparked a note of excitement as we drew nearer our destination. Few in the entourage had ever been to Edoras, and they were looking forward to a glimpse of the capital city of Gondor's ally.

The night before our expected arrival at Edoras, just as we arrived at our intended campsite, Eomer rode back and invited a number of us to join him in riding on a little further as camp was made. My family and I joined in the small group, and I welcomed the chance to ride at something faster than a walk, as did Elrothiel. It was difficult to rein her in when Eomer signaled us to a stop.

All eyes were on our host, so we did not immediately realize his purpose, but then he pointed into the distance to a city high on a hill. The setting sun had not dropped so low behind the mountain as to conceal its rays from the city, even though we were already in semi-darkness where we sat. "Edoras," Eomer announced proudly. The look on his face spoke volumes of his love for his home, and indeed it presented quite a striking picture at this moment. I was eager to see it closer up.


	4. Chapter 4

**No Mistake**

**Chapter 4**

Most of the residents of Edoras seemed to turn out to welcome home their King, and bow respectfully as Theoden's body passed. I was used to cities that were far more...cultivated and polished. The people of Edoras seemed to exist on a simpler level, and I wondered what their royal court would be like. While I found this different society vastly interesting, I knew there were many in the party who would look down on these rustics, and consider them barbaric. For a moment, I feared that their opinion of Eomer would suffer from their snobbery, but then reflected that the esteem of King Elessar would likely prevent them giving any outward signs of disdain. At least I hoped it would be so. These seemed to be good, honest folk, and certainly we in Gondor owed them a great debt for the aid they had provided us during the war.

Sometimes it was easy on the journey to Edoras to forget our main purpose - to lay Theoden to rest with his kin. That purpose came back to me forcefully as I watched his people sorrowing. I knew that Eowyn and Eomer would be feeling the loss keenly, as well. The time that had passed since Theoden's death in battle had likely eased their pain, but I had little doubt the funeral would be difficult for both of them.

Gamling appeared as we made our way to Meduseld, and a contingent of aides helped him begin to sort through the guests and see them to their quarters during their visit. Some of Gondor's lesser nobles were not too pleased at their rather humble accommodations, but none dared voice their objections aloud for fear of King Elessar's anger if he should hear. Those of us staying within Meduseld itself were shown inside and left to freshen ourselves or rest. Eowyn did little more than show me to our room before she disappeared to find Faramir.

I stood at the window, gazing out on the plains of Rohan and the mountains in the distance. Despite the reason for our visit here, protocol had to be observed and there was a banquet planned for tonight. I found myself dreading it, as I am sure Eomer would be also. One of the things I hated most about being royal was when duties and responsibilities clashed with personal emotion and preference. I was certain Eomer would not be feeling terribly sociable, and particularly not inclined to dance, and yet he would be required to put on a pleasant face for his guests. At least Eowyn would be spared somewhat with Faramir beside her.

I spent most of the afternoon reading. I did not particularly want to go interact with Gondor's nobles and hear their private slights against Rohan. They would likely expect me to agree with them, and I was not sure I could keep my temper in check if faced with that. I must have dozed off, for Eowyn awoke me and said we needed to dress for dinner.

We changed to fresh clothing and were soon on our way to the Golden Hall. Compared to the throne room at Minas Tirith, this room was nothing. But it had a warmth that the towering stone of Gondor lacked, and I found myself appreciating its inherent beauty. Eowyn and I joined Faramir and were seated at the main table. We were there somewhat early and had some wait while the other guests trickled in. Last to arrive was Eomer, with the King and Queen of Gondor. All rose until they were seated and then the food was brought in.

I stole a few glances at Eomer, to see how he was faring, but I was too far away to get a good look at his eyes. When the meal concluded, the tables were pushed back for dancing, as entertainment for the guests. I found it objectionable that it should be necessary to entertain guests for a funeral, but so it was.

The nobles of Rohan seemed determined to impress their fancier counterparts from Gondor, and Gondor's nobles were acting vastly superior to this _lesser_ royal court. But what infuriated me most was seeing the eligible women of Gondor throwing themselves at the King. Had they no compassion for his feelings? Did they even think or care what his feelings might be on such an occasion? To them, this was like any other dance - to be used to find favor with some eligible male and, in this case, their target was mainly the King of Rohan.

As the evening proceeded, I grew more and more annoyed with Eomer having to tolerate this. Finally, it occurred to me how I might be able to help him in this matter. When he stood talking with my father, I moved into their circle and, not unexpectedly, my father commented, "Eomer, I do not believe Lothiriel has had the pleasure of dancing with you this night." Eomer hesitated, but replied, "No, we have not danced." Naturally, he expected me to dodge the suggestion and make myself scarce, but when I lingered, there was nothing he could do but make an offer, "Would you be inclined to dance the next with me, Lady Lothiriel?"

"I would be honored, my lord."

He quirked a quizzical eyebrow at my response, but only smiled. When the music began, he offered his hand and we moved onto the dance floor.

"I am amazed. How is it I find you not trying to avoid me at all cost?" he questioned.

I gazed into his eyes and saw the weariness there. "I have come to be a good friend to you," I told him quietly, so as not to be overheard.

He looked curiously at me, and I continued, "I find it completely offensive that you should have these women throwing themselves at you at such a time as this. Has it occurred to none of them that you might be grieving and this is not the proper time to be pursuing you?" My anger must have reflected on my face, and he smiled gently down at me.

"I do not think they have really considered it in that light. They only see this as possibly their one chance to impress me."

"And are you impressed with women who show so little concern for your feelings?" I asked pointedly.

He shrugged, but I knew the answer already. "So, my friend, we come to the reason you find me dancing with you."

His eyes narrowed, "And that is?"

"I fear, my lord, that you may be about to suffer an injury that will make you incapable of dancing any longer this night. Indeed, likely you will need to withdraw to your room and lay down."

His face reflected the fact that he wasn't entirely sure what I was talking about, but he soon found out. Taking a stutter step, I deftly planted one of my feet between his just as he was moving sideways. There was no way to avoid tripping, and he nearly went to his knees, almost taking me down with him.

"My lord!" I exclaimed in horror. "I am so embarrassed! Please pardon my clumsiness! Are you hurt?"

He looked into my face and saw me wink, but managed to hold back a grin, "I think I have injured my leg. Perhaps I should sit down."

I offered myself for him to lean on as he hobbled to a nearby bench. Gamling had spotted us and quickly appeared at the King's side. "My lord, are you alright?"

I spoke up, a bit louder than necessary so I was sure to be overheard, "I fear my clumsiness has caused the King to be injured. He should lie down as soon as possible and put the leg up on cushions, that he may heal quickly."

Gamling signaled to two other men, who came to Eomer's side and assisted him in standing. Before letting them help him to his room he told me, "My lady, please do not be distressed by this. I am sure it was not your fault and I should be fine by morning. I hope you will stay and enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Thank you, my lord. You are very kind."

With that he hobbled from sight, much to the displeasure of the other ladies in the hall and my own father. I knew I was risking another chiding, but it was worth it to help Eomer escape. This dance tonight would fulfill his obligation to his guests, and he should be able to avoid such things the remainder of the time they would be here. I spent the balance of the evening dodging my father. I knew I was probably only postponing the inevitable, but saw no reason to encourage the tongue-lashing I would receive. Besides, maybe his anger would dissipate some before he found me...

xxxxx

The remaining days to the funeral passed slowly. I spent most of my leisure exploring the city and became acquainted with a number of its people. It took awhile for them to warm up to me, because of my station, but after some time they began to accept that I was not really any different than they and I enjoyed learning about them and Rohan.

The day before the funeral, Eomer and Eowyn both seemed more on edge and quieter than usual. While Eowyn had Faramir, Eomer had no one, and I longed to help him through this but could not see a way to do it. I went to bed that night dissatisfied at my failure to be of any comfort to him during this trying experience.

After tossing restlessly for some time, I finally rose and slipped on my robe. Eowyn heard me, despite my efforts to be quiet, and raised her head. "Is something wrong?" she asked sleepily.

"No. Go back to sleep. I am just restless tonight." She murmured something unintelligible and drifted off again as I eased out the door.

My slippered feet made little noise on the floor. I had been very careful to put my slippers on. My father wouldn't care for me wandering Meduseld in the night, but if he had been upset by my going barefoot elsewhere, to publicly do so under the King's roof would truly upset him!

The halls were dark and uninteresting, so I thought I would head for the Golden Hall. Despite it being August, there was always a chill in the air at night and I knew a fire was kept burning there. I found myself creeping silently along and smiled; everyone else was sensibly in bed at this hour - who was awake to hear me?

Pushing open the door, I entered the Golden Hall and made straight for the fire. Even in my short time out of bed, I had become a bit chilled and I welcomed the warmth. Suddenly, I heard a sound to my right and nearly jumped out of my skin before I saw Eomer walking toward me. "You startled me!" I gasped.

With a rueful grin, he apologized by telling me, "I am sorry. The night is dark and I was making no effort to be seen." I laughed at his replay of words I had spoken to him earlier.

"You have a good memory," I commented.

"Yes. It helps when I am in public and my wit is in short supply."

I let out a choked laugh and covered my mouth with a hand. "Somehow, it sounds worse when you say it that way! I did not mean to insult you so!"

He stepped closer and gazed into my eyes. I couldn't imagine what he was doing, until suddenly he bent and swished the hem of my gown, revealing the toes of my slippers. He gave me a look of disappointment, "You have lied to me. A lady's skirts hide nothing!"

Giggling, I retorted, "I did not say they _always_ hide things, only that they _could_."

Now that we were this close, I could see how tired he looked. "Tell me, what keeps the King of Rohan up so late this night? He looks greatly in need of rest."

His expression immediately sobered as he turned away, pondering what to say. Finally he explained, "Burying my Uncle seems so final. Up until now, it has almost felt as if he was walking beside me, his hand on my shoulder, guiding me. I fear the funeral tomorrow will make that disappear and I will be alone."

I moved next to him and touched his arm to turn him toward me, "If he leaves you tomorrow, Eomer, it will only be because he knows that you no longer need him guiding you - that you are ready to be King on your own."

I smiled reassuringly at him, and the next thing I knew he had wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and was sobbing into my shoulder. Slowly I placed my arms around his neck, and stroked his head, waiting for his tears to abate. As they did, he began to speak, "I don't remember my father very well; Eowyn even less. But Theoden was as a father to us, loving us the same as Theodred. And Theodred was as a brother to me, not jealous of his father's affection for us. When Theoden is laid to rest, then they will truly be gone, and Eowyn will leave soon after. I will have lost all my family."

"No, not lost. Theoden and Theodred will always remain in your heart. And while Eowyn will be separated from you, she is not lost. You can write letters and visit her as often as you are able. Do not despair, Eomer. You are not alone."

He gave me a shaky smile and I continued, "And what you make of Rohan as her King will stand as a tribute to one who loved you as a father." Again he squeezed me tightly and buried his face in my neck, but this time he did not cry.

"Yes. I will be Theoden's legacy in place of Theodred. I will not fail my King," he whispered.

As his hold on me loosened a bit, I pulled back to look into his face. "You should try to sleep. Tomorrow will be a difficult day for you; more so if you have not slept."

He nodded and wiped at his eyes. A grin creased his face, "If your father is appalled at your unseemly behavior in public, what would he think of mine?"

I smiled back, "Perhaps that is why we are friends - we are societal misfits!"

With a laugh, he asked, "Will you return to your bed as well, or would you stay up longer?"

I reached for his arm, "I think I am ready to sleep now. My friends no longer need me at present."

We slowly made our way back and at my door, he softly kissed my forehead, "Thank you, friend. I do not know how I would have gotten through the night if you had not appeared." I lightly touched his cheek and stepped inside my room.

xxxxx

The funeral the next day was very emotional. The people of Edoras who gathered had clearly loved Theoden and mourned his passing. I hoped they would come to love Eomer as well. He was a good man and he would be a good king.

Eowyn sang a song in Rohirric, though she struggled to get through it as her voice threatened to fail her. Faramir stood beside me and I think it took all the willpower he possessed to prevent him from rushing to her side. As he fidgeted next to me, I slipped my arm through his as reassurance.

I do not know how Eomer managed to keep his composure during the ceremony, though even at a distance I could see how tightly his jaw was clenched. He glanced at me once and I tried to smile encouragingly, but I do not know if it helped any.

The stiff formalities were observed; guests approached the King and his sister offering their condolences and a subdued crowd filled themselves on the food prepared. At least at this gathering, Faramir was able to stay near Eowyn's side and share his comfort with her.

But Eomer was alone, and forced to sit stalwartly tall on his new throne, through the proceedings and endless line of well-wishers. When at last the line had ended, and he could reasonably do so, Eomer excused himself and exited the Golden Hall.

I continued with my polite talk among the nobles of the Rohan and Gondor courts, but my thoughts lingered on Eomer. At last, unable to tolerate it any longer, I approached Gamling, who stood off to the side keeping a watchful eye on things so that they operated in an orderly fashion.

He bowed at my approach, "My lady. May I be of service?"

I stood with my back to the hall and kept my voice low, "My lord, I would speak with Eomer King, if he is willing."

He hesitated, and I think he wanted to protect Eomer from interlopers into his private grief, so I hastened to assure him, "I believe he would wish to see me, my lord. Please, just ask. If he declines, I will not be offended."

He nodded and started to move away, but before he did so, I added, "My lord, as Doorward, I know you are a discreet man. I would not wish to give anyone the wrong impression, and my father would be most displeased if he knew what I was doing. I should like to keep this matter private."

Again he nodded, this time in understanding, and motioned me to follow him. We went to the door of Eomer's study where he knocked. After a moment, Eomer's voice called out, "What is it?"

Gamling opened the door slightly and put his head in so he would not be heard in the hall.

A moment later, he stepped back and opened the door wider for me to enter, then closed it behind me.

Eomer sat on a low couch and gave me a weak smile. "I should have known you would come. But I did not think you would dare risk it."

"I would not dare risk being so poor a friend as to not come, Eomer," I said, taking a seat beside him.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and staring at his hands, "Thank you."

I reached over and began to rub his back, but made no effort to initiate a conversation. After a long while, he gave a ragged sigh and leaned back, catching my hand as I removed it from his back and holding it in his lap. "It is done," he said, as he rubbed his face with the other hand. "I wish I felt as confident as you, and as you claim Theoden was, that I will do a good job in his stead."

"Not claim." He looked at me questioningly. "When Theodred died, certainly Theoden knew that made you his heir. Yet he did not object to the notion, did he? Indeed, Eowyn has said he was ready to turn rule over to her if both of you had died in battle. I think he had every confidence that either of you would do well and honor his memory with your service."

He considered this a moment, then shifted to put his arm around me and pull me close, "I suppose you are right. I had not thought of it that way." We sat in silence, our heads resting against one another.

"How is Eowyn doing out there? I did not want to leave her alone, but I could not stay in that crowd any longer."

"She is not alone. Faramir has been at her side from the moment protocol allowed. He will see her through this. It is you that worried me. I would not have you go through this alone, but..."

He squeezed my shoulders, "I know. And you came as soon as you could. That is all that matters."

After awhile, he leaned back again, and before I knew it, he was fast asleep. I considered slipping away and leaving him in peace, but I did not think he would want to wake and find himself alone, so I settled against his shoulder to wait and almost as quickly, I dozed off as well.

When I awoke, I was disoriented. I had been having the strangest dream - right before I woke up I dreamed that Eomer kissed me. It had been light and gentle, but with my eyes now open, it almost seemed as if it had really happened. Even more disconcerting was to find I was still seated next to him on the couch. He, too, was awake and smiling down at me. When he saw my eyes open, he whispered, "Thank you for staying." His hand was rubbing my arm and I found that very distracting to clear thinking. Involuntarily, I raised my fingers to my lips as if seeking some evidence of the dream there. But, of course, there was nothing and I struggled to clear my mind and become lucid.

"Is something wrong?" Eomer asked quietly.

I shook my head, then murmured, "No...I just had the oddest dream. It seemed very real. I suppose I am having a hard time waking up from it."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

I firmly shook my head, "No, it is gone now. I am alright." After all the trouble we went through to be just friends, I wasn't about to tell him I had dreamed of his kissing me. I couldn't even begin to imagine why I had, or why I found it so unsettling.

Smiling reassuringly at him, I asked, "Are you feeling better after your nap?"

He nodded and I told him, "Then perhaps it is time I put in appearance again before anyone gets too curious about where I am." I rose quickly, and he dropped his arm to his side; almost reluctantly it seemed.

He stood and moved to the window. "It is getting near dusk. Supper should be in a little while."

"Will I see you there?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Maybe. I have not decided yet. I suppose it would probably be rude if I didn't attend, with so many guests in attendance."

There was a knock at the door and I stiffened. Eomer called out, "Who is it?"

Gamling responded and cracked the door a bit, "My lord, supper will be in half an hour, if that is acceptable."

"Thank you, Gamling. Are the guests still in the Golden Hall or have they dispersed?"

"Most seem to have retired to their rooms, my lord. A few linger in conversation. Prince Imrahil was wondering where his daughter had gotten to, and I said she had excused herself a short while ago. If my lady has not yet seen our gardens, there are many new buds and it is still fairly warm out."

Eomer grinned, "Thank you, Gamling."

Gamling bowed again and left. Once he was gone, Eomer signaled for me to follow him and he moved to another door that exited the room. We stepped into a dark and narrow corridor, and he pointed toward one end, "If you go to the end, there is a door that exits directly into the gardens. There may still be time for a quick look before supper."

"Ah, gardens! I owe them so much!" I laughed. Giving his arm a quick squeeze, I hurried off in the direction he had indicated and was quickly out the door. Eomer waited until I was outside so that the light from his study would show my path in the darkness.

Gamling was right. There were numerous buds forming that would soon replace the flowers that had died. But the disappearing evening light didn't lend itself to a full exploration of the place, so I turned my path out the main entrance and returned to the Golden Hall.

My two eldest brothers were in conversation with King Elessar at one table. At another sat Faramir with his arm around Eowyn. They didn't seem to be speaking much; just enjoying one another's company.

Erchirion looked up at my entrance and called, "Thiri, there you are. Father has been looking for you."

"Indeed? Where is he? I have been exploring my surroundings, including a garden I found."

"I am here," said my Father, entering the Hall from the other side. "Where did you disappear to earlier?"

"I stayed as long as I could manage, but the atmosphere was too depressing. I wandered a bit and ended up in a garden nearby."

He nodded in acceptance of this explanation and told me, "You had best get changed for supper. We will be eating soon." I nodded and headed for my room, a slight grin playing across my face when no one could see.


	5. Chapter 5

**No Mistake**

**Chapter 5**

Over the next few days, the guests began to trickle out. King Elessar and Queen Arwen departed with a large group for Minas Tirith and other destinations, as the King had much that still needed doing in rebuilding that city, and surrounding towns of Gondor. Faramir tarried a bit longer, reluctant, I think, to be parted from Eowyn. Once he returned to Gondor, they would not see each other for a few months and both already seemed to be dreading the separation.

My family remained as well, as guests of the King. Father and Eomer had become friendly after it was Father who noticed Eowyn was still alive on the Pelennor Fields and sought aid for her. Eomer expressed a desire to entertain our family without the spectre of the funeral hanging over things and Father accepted the offer. He spent much of the time choosing some new horses for our stables, as the bloodstock in Rohan was incomparable.

Despite all this, it was difficult to find much private time with Eomer, and I was not allowed to venture outside the city walls to explore; something I found frustrating. I expressed this to Eowyn one evening as we dressed for supper, "I feel as though I have seen nothing of Rohan. Surely Edoras, while beautiful, is not all there is to your country!"

She laid aside her hairbrush and looked at me, "You are absolutely right. There is no reason you should be completely confined to the city. I will arrange a picnic with Faramir and we can drag my brother along to keep you company. Between the two of them, surely we will be well enough protected to not require an escort. In fact, I know a place where we should be able to do some berry picking."

I smiled with gratitude, "That would be such a relief. I do not wish to leave feeling as though I have seen nothing!"

Eowyn broached the subject at dinner and it was met with far less resistance than I expected. My brothers were invited to join us, but showed no interest in berry picking, and since we were due to leave within a week, Eomer agreed to set aside time for the excursion. Gamling was concerned at the idea of our going without an escort, but it was difficult to press the point with two such renowned soldiers as part of the party, and even Eowyn could boast victory in battle.

It was decided to go the following day and Eowyn happily arranged the whole thing, looking forward to this outing with Faramir. I got the feeling that Eomer and I were superfluous to the whole thing. She welcomed any excuse to be alone with Faramir, and this afforded one, though adequately chaperoned. I rather wondered just how much we would see of the two lovers once we reached our destination, but since I was looking forward to time alone with Eomer, I wasn't bothered by the idea that they might make themselves scarce.

We departed mid-morning, and there was every indication we would enjoy a beautiful day. My three companions were all armed with their swords, in case there was any trouble, and I was even required to have one, though I assured them I was more likely to injure myself with it than do damage to someone else. I think if Faramir hadn't been coming along, Eowyn would have seized that opportunity to give me my first lesson in self-defense, but I suspected she wouldn't let herself be distracted from the man she loved since he would be leaving with us when we returned to Dol Amroth.

Eomer and Eowyn took us to a few of their favorite spots, showed us the view from various vantage points and finally we ended up on the edge of a forest in which the berry plants grew. By then it was time for the noon meal, so we set up our picnic and ate before looking for berries. As soon as we were done with our meal, Eowyn jumped up, took Faramir by the hand and said, "We will go pick in this direction and you can go in that direction. Between us, we ought to find plenty of berries."

As soon as they disappeared from sight, Eomer started laughing, "My sister is not exactly subtle, is she? I wonder just how much time they will actually spend concerning themselves with berries!"

I laughed too, but reminded him, "What does it matter? It means we have plenty of time to talk without anyone overhearing, or suspecting anything." I stood up and held out a hand, "Come on! Show me around - this is your country. Tell me all about it."

He groaned and slowly rose, "I was rather looking forward to a nap after that meal..."

"You can sleep later. Right now it is sightseeing and berry-picking! You _must_ entertain your guest!"

He rolled his eyes at me, but took my hand and led me off into the woods, telling me whatever came to mind to mention. I had to ask a lot of questions to get much more than, "Those are pine trees over there, and the river is in that direction."

After awhile, we did locate the berry bushes and set to work filling our buckets, though I noticed he seemed to be eating more than he was collecting, the stains around his mouth giving him away.

When the buckets were finally full, we took them back to our campsite. He still seemed inclined to sneak in a nap, so I left him lying on a blanket and went to walk along the smaller stream that branched off the river. "Do not go too far," Eomer called to me as I walked away.

Over an hour later, Eowyn and Faramir returned and decided they were ready to head back to Edoras. Reluctantly, Eomer rose and told them, "Go on ahead. I will get Lothiriel and we will catch up to you." They packed up as much as they could carry and started out, while Eomer made his way to find me. He didn't have far to look and, though I was disappointed that the day had to end, I turned to move back to the horses and help pack the remainder of our things.

Both horses were nearly loaded and we were just getting ready to mount, when three creatures burst from the forest and ran at us. Luckily, I was standing near Eomer at the time and he quickly drew his sword, pushing me behind him. I drew mine as well, though I was so frightened I could hardly hold it.

I watched with both fascination and horror as Eomer fought the creatures. One he killed in seconds and the other two he injured, but not before one of them stabbed him in the side. How he remained on his feet with that wound, I do not know, but he stayed standing until the two bolted back into the forest. Only then did he drop to his knees, bleeding considerably. Struggling for control, he looked at me as I ran to his side. "Get on your horse, and ride as fast as you can back the way we came. You will find Faramir and Eowyn fairly soon. Tell them we were attacked by three Orcs."

I took one step and then looked at him, "You are coming with me, are you not?"

Still on his knees and seeming to struggle to keep a clear head, he told me, "No. I cannot ride like this. Go and get Faramir. He will know what to do. Go!"

I meant to do as he said; I really did. But once I was in the saddle and looked down on him, I wondered what would happen if the two creatures came back. Or if more came. It made sense to go get Faramir's help, but what if this was the last time I ever saw him? What if he died while I was gone - he was bleeding so much.

"What are you waiting for?" he gasped. "Go!"

I hesitated another moment and then rode over beside him and dismounted. "No. I will not leave you here. We will go together. I will help you ride."

"Thiri, this is no time to argue. This is not a game. Get on your horse and go. Now!"

Stubbornly, I shook my head. "I will not leave you here alone. We go together or we stay together."

He looked at me pleadingly, but I refused to be swayed. I could not bear the thought that I might be leaving him here to die.

Seeing I would not be persuaded, he struggled to rise and I moved to assist him. He leaned against me and hobbled over to Elrothiel's side. It took considerable effort and more than one attempt to get him into the saddle, but we finally did. I then led Roth over to some rocks that I could use to mount behind Eomer, and we were finally on our way.

He seemed to be dangerously close to becoming unconscious and I held him as tightly as I could between my arms as I guided Roth back to the city. By now, I was covered with almost as much blood as he and to an observer it would be difficult to say whose it was.

I hadn't thought Faramir and Eowyn could have gotten that far in so short a time, but we didn't seem to be finding them. I was beginning to fear I was going the wrong way, that I had gotten off the road. Eomer wasn't responding very well when I spoke to him, but I guess the panic in my voice broke through finally and he affirmed we were going in the right direction.

Elrothiel wasn't pleased about the extra weight she was carrying, but I pushed her as fast as I could and still maintain my hold on Eomer. Finally, I saw the other two riding ahead and began to shout to get their attention. At last they heard, and looked back, hastening to our aid.

Had Eomer not been so close to unconsciousness, I think Faramir would have transferred him to his much larger, more powerful horse to ride with him. But since we would virtually have to move his entire weight alone, Faramir thought it best we stay as we were. Eowyn took off at a run for Edoras to alert the healer and have riders come to meet us. With Faramir's help, we struggled on toward the city, and I found myself desperately hoping we could keep Eomer alive long enough to get assistance.

Faramir had torn up a blanket and fashioned something of a bandage, so the bleeding was contained, but there was no indication that Eomer's condition improved. A cold fear was settling over me, and all I could do was hold tightly onto Eomer and keep riding.

It seemed to take forever for any kind of help to arrive, but at last we saw riders galloping toward us. Relieving Faramir, a rider fell in on either side of us, and each extended an arm to assist in holding Eomer in the saddle. I was grateful for the assistance as my strength was almost gone.

At long last, we rode into Edoras and straight to Meduseld. Guards of the Hall came forward to ease Eomer down from the saddle and carry him inside. I slipped wearily off Roth and someone led her away. Before I could really even register what all was happening, I was surrounded by my father and brothers. I have never seen my father look so frightened as he stared at me, and then I realized why. "I am not hurt, Father. The blood is not mine."

He sighed with relief, and reached for my shoulders, "Come, let us get you inside and cleaned up."

"No!" I wrenched free of his grasp and raced inside, calling over my shoulder, "I must see to Eomer."

Running down the hall, I followed the guards carrying Eomer to his room, and shoved my way inside with them. My father and brothers had followed and Father began trying to coax me away, "Thiri, there is nothing you can do here. Let the healer tend to him. I am sure he will be fine."

"I am not leaving, Father!" I declared. "I will stay here until I am sure he is alright." I didn't realize it but tears were streaming down my face, and I think my father was afraid I was having a breakdown, but he decided not to press the point just then. Instead he pulled me out of the way, to a spot on the far side of Eomer's bed, and we stood watching as the healer worked. I wasn't aware of my father's arm around my shoulders or that my tears continued to fall.

A short time later, Eowyn put in appearance also and moved over to join us. "Leave her with me," she told my father and he nodded as he slipped out of the room. Eowyn had chairs brought for us and I gratefully collapsed into mine, my gaze still riveted on the pale figure lying on the bed.

"This is all my fault!" I moaned. "I could not bear it if he dies!"

"Shhh," Eowyn responded, holding me close, "he will not die. He is much too stubborn for that."

She meant for her comment to lighten the mood, but it was lost on me and I continued to weep. At last the healer finished her work, and indicated he needed to rest a long while and might not regain consciousness for several hours, or possibly even a few days. Everyone slowly left the room except for me and Eowyn.

After a time, she said, "He will sleep quite awhile. Let us get you out of those clothes and you can rest some, then come back and check on him."

She rose and tugged at my hand, but I pulled it from her grasp, and dully told her, "I will stay."

I think she intended to argue, but then reconsidered and simply said, "I will bring you some clean clothes."

Eowyn was able to get me cleaned up and into fresh garments, but I would not be persuaded to leave Eomer's bedside. I refused the food they brought me for dinner, and when Father tried to convince me that I was not to blame and that Eomer would not think that I was, I exploded at him, "It does not matter if he blames me! It is still my fault. We only went out there because of me and now he may die!"

I turned away and sat staring at the bed, ignoring everyone else in the room, and finally they left me alone. Eowyn came in and wrapped a blanket around me as it got colder, servants came and went tending the fire and checking on Eomer, but mostly I sat alone and thought.

The longer I sat, the clearer my thinking became, and suddenly I realized what I had been too blind to see before. For all that I had said, and all my efforts to not be courted by Rohan's King, in spite of myself, I had fallen in love with him. I wasn't sure when or where exactly it had happened, but as I sat there looking at him, not knowing for certain if he would ever again open his eyes, I knew. And I hated myself for all the things I had said and all the time I had wasted fighting everyone's matchmaking efforts, but mostly I hated the fact that he did not feel the same about me. I had lied to him and said we would only be friends. If he lived, how could I tell him I had changed my mind; that friendship was no longer enough?


	6. Chapter 6 Finale

_**A/N: I was going to be mean and wait until tomorrow to post the final chapter, but I guess I'm feeling mellow! Will try to get the next story up soon, though I may first post my Harry Potter story. If I do it now, it is still canon, but if I wait til July 16 it will become AU (unless I was channeling Jo Rowling when I wrote it)!**_

_**Anyway, hope you enjoy the finale as much as the buildup!**_

_**Reviewers: Thanks again to all who took time to review.**_

_**ForeverFaramir - Thanks for noticing. One thing I've found strange in all the Eomer/Lothiriel and Faramir/Eowyn stories is that they frequently include the funeral procession from Minas Tirith to Edoras, but never say a word about Theoden's funeral or Eomer/Eowyn's reaction to said funeral. I would think that would be a vital element of the story (so I included it so it was)!**_

_**MexicanDevil - I liked those parts too (Eomer and the berries ; Eowyn's "too stubborn" comment). That just seems to me a very Eowyn thing to say about her brother.**_

**No Mistake**

**Chapter 6**

And so the long, cold night dragged on. I can't say for sure, but I may have dozed a bit. In fact, I think I must have, for I awoke to find myself leaning forward on the side of the bed, holding Eomer's hand. My back was stiff from the awkwardness of the position I had been in, and I bent and stretched, trying to ease it.

Sometime in the night, my tears had subsided, and all that was left was an ache and an emptiness. I had squandered away my happiness by my own foolhardiness. Soon I would be back in Dol Amroth and Eomer would be nothing more than a painful memory, whether he lived or died. I couldn't decide what would hurt worse, having him die not knowing I loved him, or having him live and not love me in return.

Dawn comes differently in Edoras than in Dol Amroth, or even Minas Tirith. Or at least it seems so to me, as I never could tell how near it was if I woke in the night. So looking out Eomer's window gave me no clue as to what time it was when I heard him stir.

I hastened to his side, and caught his hand in mine as he blinked open his eyes with a moan and looked around. He seemed to be struggling to remember what had happened and where he was, and seemed to be trying to sit up. I placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back, "Lie still. You are safe."

In the dim light of the unstoked fire, he apparently could see who was speaking and he smiled. He must have remembered what happened, for he told me, "Sometimes you are too stubborn for your own good! You should have left me." He paused, then added, "But I am grateful you did not."

My throat was choked with emotion and I could not speak, so I just sat miserably looking at him. After a few moments, he realized that something was wrong, "Thiri, what is it? Are you alright?"

My mouth worked a few times, but no words came out - I didn't know what to say. As the crease of concern deepened between his eyebrows, I finally blurted out, "I have lied to you, Eomer!"

He blinked in surprise and asked softly, "What did you lie to me about?"

I began to breathe more quickly, trying to work up the courage to tell him the truth about how I felt, but I couldn't bear the thought of those eyes, that were looking at me so tenderly just now, turning away in disgust.

He had to know, though, and I supposed sooner was better than later. I hung my head and murmured, "I love you. I did not mean to, but somehow I do."

There was a long silence that filled me with dread and then, to my shock, he laughed! I could not believe he would laugh at my pain. This was not the man I thought I knew, the man I had considered a friend. Even if he did not love me in return, I hadn't expected this humiliation from him.

I sat back in my chair hugging my arms tightly around myself and tears began to fall, "How can you make fun of me? I said I was sorry."

When he realized I did not understand his reaction, he struggled to sit up on the side of the bed. It took a moment for him to do so, and though I was sorely tempted to rush to his side and help, I forced myself to stay seated and resentfully watch him.

He reached out and pulled my hands free, taking them in his own, "Dearest Thiri, do you not know that I have only been waiting for you to catch up?"

I gave him a puzzled look, unable to figure what he could possibly mean by such a strange statement.

"Oh, Thiri, I think I have loved you since that first moment I found you barefoot in the garden. But you were so adamant that we not court and we not fall in love, that I knew I had to bide my time and wait for you to figure it out for yourself."

I was staring at him guardedly, "You love me?"

"Of course I do! How could I not love you? You do not know how hard it has been to stay away from you or, when I was with you, act like nothing more than a friend or a brother. I wanted to hold you and kiss you and go to your father for permission to court you, but I could not until you were ready!"

My posture had softened and he saw it, so he pulled on my hands, drawing me over to sit next to him on the bed and wrapping his arms around me. He pressed his lips to my temple, "Believe it, my love. I love you more than words can say."

And then I was crying again, but this time they were tears of joy. He seemed to know that, and he just held me.

Eventually, I came to my senses and made him lie back down, but I remained seated on the edge of the bed, holding his hand and we talked. Suddenly a thought occurred to me, "Eomer, the day of the funeral – did you kiss me while I slept?"

He gave me a sheepish grin and nodded, "Is that what you thought you dreamed?"

I blushed and returned the nod. "I was so disoriented when I awoke, I was not sure what was real and what was dream. And you gave nothing away."

"When you said you had an odd dream and touched your lips, but then would not tell me what the dream was, I suspected that was it. I hoped it meant you were starting to realize there was more between us than friendship, but still you made me wait. I had to practically get killed for you to figure it out!"

I sat there a moment, playing with his fingers, lost in my thoughts, then looked up at him with a sly grin, "That is cheating, you know. Kissing me when I cannot enjoy it."

He chuckled, "I suppose so..."

"So that means you owe me." He gave me a curious look, but I didn't keep him in suspense. Slowly I bent over and gently kissed him, pulling back to smile at him.

"I think you are right," he commented. "I do like it better when you participate!"

"That was just for starters. Wait until you are well..."

He let out a laugh, grabbed me and pulled me down onto him, "This time, I expect you to keep your word!"

Despite my happiness, and the pleasure evident on his face, I could also see the grimaces he tried to hide, so I gently disentangled myself from his embrace. "Sleep, my love. And build your strength. We will talk more tomorrow...er, well, later today. I need to get some rest, too, if I am to make up for lost time." I reached over and brushed his hair back from his face as his eyes widened.

"I have a sneaking suspicion that if your father did not care for the way you behaved around me before, he truly will not like it now!"

I laughed, and gave him another quick kiss, effectively dodging his efforts to grab me again. "Sleep. There will be time for that later!"

xxxxx

It took two days, largely spent in bed, before Eomer was up to rising, but at last he rejoined us at the supper table. The meal was turning into a bit of a celebration of his recovery and everyone seemed in pleasant moods. At length, Eomer spoke up, while cutting a piece of meat, "Prince Imrahil, I have a question of some importance I wish to ask you." He put the bite in his mouth and began to chew.

My father cheerfully responded, "Of course, Eomer. What it is? Or would you prefer to speak in private?"

"No, here is fine. As you and your family will be leaving in a few days to return to Dol Amroth, it has become more urgent that I request your daughter's hand in marriage. What say you to this?"

And Eomer continued eating while all three of my brothers choked on their food and father dropped his fork. He sat staring at Eomer and then looked across the table to me, where I was sitting quietly eating a potato. "Thiri, have you anything to say about this?" he asked incredulously.

I looked up, glancing briefly at the King, and then replied, "Well, Father, I hardly see how you can refuse so powerful and important a man as the King of Rohan. I should think King Elessar will be pleased at your strengthening the ties between Rohan and Gondor, and this will encourage trade with Dol Amroth. It is a good move." I turned back to my meal, stifling my laughter and trying to appear emotionless.

Father sat staring at me, his mouth working but no words coming out. Amrothos was not so hampered, "You cannot be serious! Thiri, you barely know this man!"

I smiled reassuringly at my brother, "That may be, but it is a desirable alliance, nonetheless. I am sure I will come to know him over time." I continued eating.

At that point, Eowyn bolted up from her chair and ran around the table, flinging her arms around my neck, "I knew it! I knew you two were perfect for each other." I remained impassive, and Eomer looked at his sister as if she had taken leave of her senses.

I glanced down the table in Eomer's direction and saw my cousin. He had his head resting on his knuckles, giving me a look of bemusement. I felt sure he knew the truth. Eowyn was guessing, because she wanted to believe we were in love, but Faramir knew me far too well to ever believe I would agree to a marriage for political reasons. My family, apparently, wasn't as clear about that, despite all my protests prior to this.

The table erupted in a flurry of arguments between my brothers and my father, Eomer and I continued eating as if nothing unusual was happening, and Eowyn returned to her seat next to Faramir and began planning our wedding. Finally, Father rose and signaled to my brothers to follow, "We will discuss this in private." As they went out the door, I heard Amrothos ask Erchirion, "So, is Lothiriel to marry Eomer or not?"

I turned to my beloved Eomer and smiled conspiratorially, and he returned it in kind. Oh yes, Lothiriel _was_ going to marry Eomer. Make no mistake about that!

**THE END**

**__**

If you are interested, there is a sequel to this story. It is called By The Book. The easiest way to find it is to go to the top of this page, click on my name (Deandra) and that will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will see all the stories I have written. Click on the story title and it will take you to chapter 1. Enjoy!


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